Miracle
by cwgirlup
Summary: Ghost Adventures slash. Nick/Zak Nick and Zak deal with a big surprise.
1. Chapter 1

Nick awoke to the sounds of retching coming from the bathroom. He sat up in the empty bed and glanced at the clock to his right. 1 AM. Yawning, he kicked off the blankets and headed for the bathroom. He heard the toilet flush as he opened the door and saw Zak leaning against the sink, rinsing his mouth out and holding his stomach. Nick crossed to him and rubbed his back.

"You ok?"

Zak spit the water out and replied. "Yeah, just an upset stomach."

Nick crossed his arms and looked Zak in the eye. "How many nights does this make, Zak?"

Zak didn't answer, pushing off the sink and trying to walk into the bedroom. Nick shifted, blocking his path. "How many?"

"Look, it's not a big thing. So, I've thrown up a couple nights – so what? It's just some kind of virus. I'll be fine."

"Seven nights in a row is a lot more than a couple. I want you to see a doctor."

"I'm not going to a doctor, Nick. There's nothing wrong with me, and you know how I am about doctors."

"Look, we're not having this discussion anymore. I've given this several days to clear up, and you're still sick. I'm making you an appointment with my doctor, and you're going if I have to tie you up and drag your ass there."

"Fine. Fine – whatever. I'll go if it'll make you happy. And when the doctor says it's a virus, you owe me blow jobs for a week."

Nick grinned. "I'd do that anyway. Hearing that you're fine will just make it that much better. Seriously, though," he said, cupping Zak's cheek, "I wouldn't fight you on this if I didn't love you. You know that, right?"

"I love you, too." Zak took Nick's hand and led him into the bedroom. "Let's see if we can salvage what's left of this night."

"We are going," said Nick, pushing Zak into bed and climbing in after him, "to sleep. And that's it."

Zak rolled his eyes. "Yes, _mom."_ He made a big show of scooting to the far edge of the mattress. "I'll just sleep waaayyy over here, so I don't infect you."

Nick settled himself in the center of the mattress. "Ahhhh. All this room, just for me." He glanced at Zak's back and thought, "_I give him 15 minutes, tops, before he's over here._"

Ten minutes later, after much grumbling to himself and heaving several long-suffering sighs, Zak moved to the center of the bed. "Move your ass over."

"Nope. I'm comfortable here. Deal with it."

Zak slid an arm around the younger man and laid his chest on his chest. "I hate you."

Nick kissed the dark hair. "I hate you more. Now, go to sleep."

The sound of bacon sizzling roused Zak. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen where Nick was cooking breakfast. "Hey. I was about to come wake you. Breakfast is almost ready."

"What'd you make?"

"Just bacon and eggs. I called the doctor this morning, and he agreed to squeeze you in, so we have to be there in an hour."

"Nick, I really don't need to see a doctor. I feel 100% better this morning. In fact, I think we should..." Zak's voice trailed off when he took he took the warming cover off of the eggs and felt his stomach lurch violently. He dropped the cover and ran for the downstairs bathroom, barely making it before the meager contents of his stomach came up. Nick turned off the stove and followed him. He wet a washcloth with cold water and wiped Zak's face after he was finished, handing him a glass of water.

"You were saying?"

"Ohhhh just let me die in peace."

"Are you ok to go upstairs?"

Zak took a few deep breaths and tried to gauge how he felt. "Yeah, I think so. Breakfast is obviously not happening."

"I'm going to clean up down here. You go upstairs, shower, and get dressed. We need to leave in 30 minutes."

Zak nodded and headed upstairs. He could already feel his stomach settling, but he knew that saying anything to Nick would be pointless. He took a quick shower and dressed, jamming a baseball cap over his damp hair. He walked downstairs and found Nick talking on his cell.

"Yeah. Yeah. Ok. Hey listen, Zak just came down. I'll give you a call later, and we'll figure something out. Yeah, I'll tell him. Talk to you later, man." He ended the call. "Ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. Who was that?"

"Aaron. I called to tell him we couldn't make lunch today. He said to tell you feel better."

"Let's go and get this over with. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can say 'I told you so.'"

They climbed in Zak's sports car and headed for the doctor's office. Five minutes into the twenty minute drive, Zak passed out in the passenger seat and slept for the rest of the trip.

"Wake up," said Nick, lightly shaking Zak.

He opened his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to clear his mind. "I wasn't asleep."

"Sure, you weren't."

They walked into the doctor's office, Nick worried and preoccupied and Zak pouting. He flopped into a seat in the waiting area while Nick went to check him in.

Nick smiled at the efficient looking receptionist. "Hi, Sarah."

She smiled. "Hi, Nick. How can I help you today?"

"I brought my partner in to see Dr. Starnes. His name is Zak Bagans."

She rummaged through charts and handed him a clipboard. "Ok. Since he is a new patient, this form is for his medical history, this one is for insurance information, and this one is to list whatever symptoms brought him in today. When you're done with all those, bring them back to me."

Nick took the forms and filled them out fairly quickly, stopping occasionally to ask Zak a question. He handed them back to Sarah and sat down, waiting for Zak's name to be called. Zak fidgeted in his seat, tapping his foot, flipping through a magazine, repeatedly checking his Twitter feed on his phone – seemingly unable to relax. Nick grabbed his hand and laced their fingers, willing Zak to calm down.

"Mr. Bagans? If you'll come with me, we'll get your weight and put you in an exam room."

Zak and Nick both rose to their feet and followed the nurse to the back, stopping to get Zak weighed and settling into a room. They didn't have to wait long before the doctor walked in. "Hello, Nick," he said, grasping his hand. He turned to his patient. "And you must be Zak."

"Hi, Michael." He gestured to Zak, who showed no signs of answering the doctor. "Yes, this is my boyfriend, Zak."

"So," he said, sitting down and looking through the forms, "what brings you here today, Zak?"

"Well, Nick's all freaked because I've thrown up a few times this week, but it's just a stomach virus."

The doctor typed some notes on his computer. "Ok, so how many is a few? Three, four?"

Nick jumped in. "He's thrown up every night this week, usually in the middle of the night. And he threw up this morning. He's also been very tired for the past couple weeks, and sometimes he gets really dizzy for no reason."

Michael entered Zak's symptoms and said, "Well, I don't think you have a virus. Your temperature is normal, and I don't hear you describing any other typical symptoms of a virus. So, what we're going to do now is take some blood and a urine sample, and we'll go from there." He handed Zak a plastic cup with a lid and pointed him to the bathroom.

An hour later, Michael walked back into the room. "We were able to rule out any major problems. You're not anemic, no signs of hepatitis or sexually transmitted diseases, so that's good. We did find one rather unexpected thing in your blood work, though. If you'd follow me down this hall, I have one more test I'd like to perform."

Zak and Nick threw nervous glances at each other as they followed him down the hall. Neither one had suspected that anything serious was wrong. Zak felt his stomach threatening to revolt again and took some deep breaths to try to settle it. They entered another small room, and the doctor motioned Zak to lie down on the exam table.

"Ok, I just want to take a quick look at your abdomen. I need you to pull your pants down to just above your groin and lift your shirt for me."

Zak adjusted his clothes. "What do you think the problem is? Do I have some sort of cancer of something?"

Michael ignored the question and squirted some gel onto Zak's abdomen.

"Holy fuck, that's cold!"

"Sorry about that," he said, turning on the monitor next to him and dragging a small tool through the gel. He paused in a few spots, pressing down on Zak's stomach, until he finally seemed to find what he was looking for. He froze in his chair, his suspicions confirmed by the picture on the screen, but not quite believing what he was seeing.

The look of shock on the doctor's face jolted Nick into action. He pushed closer to the screen and demanded, "What's wrong?" His eyes darted frantically, trying to find some meaning in the shifting gray shapes before him.

Michael shook himself out of silence. "Nothing's wrong. Just very, very rare." He pointed to a tiny shape about the size of a lima bean. "Do you see that?"

Zak propped himself up on his elbows, eyes glued to the screen. "What the hell is that? Do I have a tumor or something?"

"Definitely an 'or something'. That," he said, still pointing, "is a fetus."


	2. Chapter 2

Nick and Zak looked at each other, twin expressions of shock on their faces. Nick recovered first with a shaky laugh. "Funny, Michael, real funny. The problem with that answer is that we're both guys. I mean, I don't remember all that much about high school, but I'm pretty sure biology taught me that a woman needs to be involved."

Zak had turned back to the screen, looking intently at the area Michael had pointed to. "Nick," he said, in a strangely calm voice, "I don't think he's bullshitting us. Look at this."

Nick stared at the screen, trying to make out what Zak was referring to. Realization hit him like a sledgehammer. "Is that what I think it is?"

Michael nodded. "That little flicker is the heartbeat." He handed some paper towels to Zak to clean his stomach. "Why don't we go into my office and talk?"

Michael settled them all in his office and closed the door. "I assume you have questions."

"What the fuck? What the pure fuck? How can he be pregnant? Where the hell is it growing? Is this even safe? Is this thing going to kill him?" Nick rattled off questions one after another as Zak seemed to tune out.

"One thing at a time. No, it's not going to kill him. Yes, it is perfectly safe. It seems to have implanted in the abdominal wall just below the large intestine. As for how he can be pregnant – well, that's a longer story." He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands. "Male pregnancy is very rare, but not unheard of in the medical community. No one speaks of it because no man has ever been willing to forgo doctor/patient confidentiality. Unfortunately, in our society a man getting pregnant would be branded a freak instead of being celebrated as a miracle."

"But _how_ is he pregnant? He doesn't have the right parts."

"Every male has an X and Y chromosome. In a very small number of males, enough of the X chromosome remains for the body to produce a small number of eggs. Where these eggs are stored, no one knows, but research indicates that it has to be somewhere in the abdomen. If a male with these eggs happens to have same-sex intercourse, fertilization can occur. What happened here is that sometime approximately eight weeks ago, the two of you had sex and some of your sperm found it's way into Mr. Bagans' abdomen, where it fertilized an egg. The embryo then attached itself to the abdominal wall, where it has been growing."

Michael gathered up some pamphlets as he spoke and handed them to Zak. "You two need to talk about some things. I'd like to see you back here in four weeks. We'll do another ultrasound then to confirm that things are progressing normally."

Zak broke out of his reverie and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you. I'll see you then."

The men rode home in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. They walked in the house, Zak flopping on the couch in the living room and Nick going into the kitchen.

"Hey, Zak – want a beer while I'm in here?"

Zak hesitated. "No, not a beer. Just a bottle of water."

Nick paused, two Corona's in his hand. Right – beer was bad right now. He put one back and grabbed a water, turning the bottle over in his hand. Such a small thing seemed like a huge sign of the changes to come. He walked into the living room and lifted Zak's feet, draping them over his lap as he sat down and handed Zak his water.

Zak looked at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"You said you'd blow me if the doctor said it wasn't a virus. Let's go."

Nick choked on his beer and swatted his feet. "Fucking pervert." He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Can I ask you a question? Why aren't you as freaked out about this as I am?"

Zak shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I can't really put it into words, but it's like – as soon as I saw that little heartbeat, everything came into focus. This is a miracle, Nick – an honest-to-God miracle. By everything that science teaches us, this shouldn't be happening. But it is. A little part of you and me came together to form a new life. And I really, really want this." Zak sat up and folded his hands, fear gripping his heart. "But I realize that you might feel differently. If you can't handle this, I'll understand."

Nick just stared at him for a moment. "The fuck, Zak? Seriously? You think that I want to leave because you're pregnant? Do you even fucking _know _me?" He got to his feet, his anger leaving him unable to stay seated. He paced the living room as he tried to collect his thoughts. "Look, just because I'm not jumping for joy doesn't mean I'm going to pack my bags. But there's a lot of shit to think about here. Like, how is this going to affect you? I mean – I know Michael said you'll be fine, but how does he really know? If this is so rare, how does he know that it's safe? And what do we tell our friends? I mean, are we going to be open about this? And if we are, what about the show? I mean, it doesn't seem like a good idea for you to be walking around the types of places we investigate while you're pregnant. Do we put the show on hiatus? And I don't know if you should workout so much. I mean, I think..."

Zak grabbed his wrist and yanked him down to the couch, cutting off his babbling with a kiss. "Breathe, Nick. Look, I just don't want to force you into anything. It's not like either one of us ever thought this was a remote possibility. As for the rest, I'm not sure what's going to happen. I don't think anyone can guarantee that any pregnancy will go completely smoothly – we just have to hope for the best. As far as telling our friends and stuff, we have some time to decide that. According to this," he said, holding up one of the pamphlets he had been reading in the car, "I shouldn't start to show until 4-5 months. So we don't have to decide everything right away."

Nick nodded. "You're right. Ok. One thing at a time. So, what else do those pamphlets say?"

"I read in this one..."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: T

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: This is Mpreg. If that squicks you, run away now. I have never written mpreg or a multi-chapter story before, so this is kind of an experiment for me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Miracle – Ch.3

"Zak? Hey, Zak – where are you?"

"In the den!"

Nick walked down the stairs and into the den where Zak was typing away on his laptop. The older man was barefoot and shirtless, wearing only his pajama pants and his glasses as he focused on the screen. Nick's eyes were drawn, as always, to the still flat stomach. At 14 weeks, there were yet to be any outward signs of the amazing changes happening within.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not too long – maybe an hour. I was about to go make some breakfast for us."

Nick stifled a yawn and looked at the clock on the wall. "It's almost noon – why don't we go out for lunch instead?"

"That sounds pretty good. In fact, why don't we call Aaron and see if he wants to come with us? We need to talk to him anyway."

"True. Ok, I'll call him."

"Hey, why don't you call Billy and Jay, too? Might as well get it all over with at once." They had agreed not to say anything until Zak was safely past the 12 week mark, and telling their close friends together seemed to be the best way to get it out in the open. They had argued a bit over exactly who they wanted to tell. Zak held the opinion that he didn't care who knew because they had nothing to be ashamed of, but Nick had pointed out that they would not be the only ones who had to deal with the fall out. Their child would be relentlessly hounded by the press and taunted by other kids if the truth got out, and Zak agreed that they should only tell trusted friends.

"I'll just text them all. It'll be faster than calling everyone." Nick typed out a quick text to their friends, asking them to join them for lunch and telling them they had a surprise. "Where did you put that ultrasound picture?"

"In my wallet." At Zak's 12 week checkup, they had each gotten a printout of the picture. Nick's copy was in the drawer of their nightstand while he tried to decide whether to frame it or put it in a baby book.

"Good. I have a feeling we're going to need some kind of proof when we tell them."

Nick's phone buzzed, signaling an incoming text. He typed a quick reply and pocketed his cell. "Ok, we're on. I told them we'd meet at 1:00. Why don't you go shower and then I will?"

Zak rose off the couch and advanced on him. "I have a better idea," he said, quirking an eyebrow as he ghosted his lips over Nick's, "how about we shower together?"

The tone in Zak's voice made desire shoot through him like a lightening bolt. Over the past several weeks, their sex life had dropped off as Zak battled nausea and fatigue, and although he seemed to have been feeling better, Nick didn't want to push anything. Needless to say, he had become well acquainted with his right hand.

He dropped his head and groaned as a wandering hand began massaging him through his sweatpants. He felt himself harden and bit down hard on the juncture of Zak's neck and shoulder, marking him. His skin was primed for Zak's touch, and he bucked his hips into his hand. He reached down and grabbed his wrist, pulling it away from him and looking at the other man with eyes darkened by lust. "Let's go," he growled, running upstairs with an amused Zak behind him.

He started the water in the shower, adjusting the temperature before pulling Zak in for a kiss. He nibbled at the plump lips until they parted, and he slid his tongue inside. He licked at the roof of Zak's mouth, drawing a whimper from the shorter man as he pushed pajama pants and boxer briefs to the floor. He made quick work of his own clothes and tugged his lover into the shower, pushing him under the warmth of the spray. Zak took control, dragging his hands across slick muscles, bending his head to nip at hardened nipples before dropping to his knees. He extended his tongue and teased the tip of Nick's weeping cock, wrapping a hand around the velvety flesh. He closed his lips around the head and sucked, causing Nick to moan and bury his hands in his hair. More of his length slid into the warm, wet mouth as the talented tongue danced along the shaft, bringing Nick closer to the edge. He tugged on the dark hair. "Stop. I want to be inside you."

Zak climbed to his feet and turned around, bracing his hands on the wall and wiggling his ass as he smirked over his shoulder. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Nick ran his hands over muscular thighs, moving them further apart. His fingers drifted over the twitching hole as he slapped a rounded ass cheek. "Pushy." He nudged a finger past the tight ring, sliding it in and out. As the muscles relaxed, he added a second finger, twisting them while he worked to ready Zak. He crooked his fingers, pressing down on his prostate and making him hiss.

"Damn it, Nick, I'm ready enough. Fuck me."

Nick pulled his fingers out and grabbed Zak's hip, using his other hand to push himself inside. Several weeks without this had him on the edge, and he bit down on his lip to keep from exploding before they even got started. He began a slow, steady thrust, wrapping his hands around strong shoulders and using them to anchor himself. Zak groaned and pushed his ass back against him, changing the angle enough that Nick's cock stroked his prostate with every thrust. He felt a familiar tightening in his groin and released, shooting ropes of semen against the shower wall. Nick grunted as he felt his own orgasm building and sped up his thrusts. The wet slap of skin on skin echoed in the bathroom.

"Fuck, you feel so good. Love to have you inside me. Cum for me, Nick. I want you to fill me. I want to have your cum swimming in my ass while we eat with our friends."

The dirty talk pushed Nick over the edge, and he came hard, flashes of color swimming behind closed eyelids. He panted as he rested against Zak's back, and his limp cock slipped out of his ass. "Jesus fucking Christ, Zak – that mouth of yours is going to be the death of me."

Zak turned and kissed him, the sloppy slide of tongues mimicking what they had just done. Nick ran his fingers over the rapidly darkening bite mark on Zak's shoulder, feeling the other man shudder. The kisses turned gentle and loving as the water ran cold. Nick turned off the faucets and reached out for fluffy towel, wrapping it around Zak's shoulders.

"Come on. Let's go meet the guys."


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: T

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: This is Mpreg. If that squicks you, run away now. I have never written mpreg or a multi-chapter story before, so this is kind of an experiment for me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Miracle – Ch.4

They dressed quickly, stopping once or twice for a soft kiss, and arrived at the restaurant with five minutes to spare. Aaron was waiting outside when they got there, and Billy and Jay arrived within minutes. "Nice bite, Zak," said Billy, pointing to the partly hidden mark while the other two snickered as they walked inside.

"Grow up, assholes," said Zak, blushing faintly as he tried to pull the shirt collar higher.

"So," said Aaron, once they had been seated at a booth in the back, "what's this big secret you have to tell us?"

Nick opened his mouth to respond, and Zak shook his head, pointing at the approaching waitress.

"Hi, guys. What can I get for you today?"

Zak ordered last. "I'd like the roast turkey sandwich with sauteed mushrooms and sweet potato fries. Oh, and could you leave off the cheese and add sour cream and cranberry sauce?"

"Sure thing," the waitress said, scribbling on her pad. "I'll be right out with your drinks."

Aaron looked at Zak quizzically. "Bro, that sandwich sounds straight up nasty. And since when do you eat sour cream?"

Nick linked fingers with Zak. "That's actually part of why we asked you guys to lunch. We need to tell you something," he said, ignoring Billy and Jay making kissy faces on their side of the table. "A little over a month ago, Zak went to the doctor because he hadn't been feeling well. Really long story short, the doctor found out that Zak is pregnant."

A trio of stunned faces stared at Nick and Zak. For two full minutes, no one made a sound. Finally, Aaron broke the silence with a laugh that rang out through the restaurant and caused people to turn in their seats.

Nick glanced around and glared at Aaron. "Fuck, dude – shut up."

"Sorry, G. But that was fucking priceless. Got to give you props – I don't know how I'm gonna top that one."

Zak fished the picture out of his wallet and wordlessly handed it to Aaron.

"Damn, you guys went all out. The pic's a nice touch – whose is it?

Nick lost it. "It's _Zak's _picture, you fucking dumb ass. Check the name at the bottom. 'Zachary A. Bagans'. Use your fucking pea brain and figure it out."

Zak laid a hand on Nick's arm. "Nick, relax. We had trouble believing it at first." He looked at Aaron and continued. "It's true. We're not shitting you. As of yesterday, I'm 14 weeks along."

Aaron looked at Billy and Jay, then back at Zak. "Um, how is that possible? I mean, do you have like female parts or what?'

Nick gave them a shortened form of the explanation they had received. The three men sat back in stunned silence, passing the ultrasound picture between them. Jay spoke up first. "Congrats, you guys. Seriously – that's great. You two are going to make awesome parents."

Billy nodded. "You really are. I'm happy for you guys."

"Yeah, G. Sorry about thinking you were full of shit. So, how are you feeling, Zak? Are you like, sick all the time?"

"I'm actually doing a lot better, but those first few months were rough. Things have mostly calmed down for now though. The main reason we wanted to tell you guys is that we know you'll keep it quiet. We don't want the media or anyone else getting hold of this."

"You got it, bro," said Aaron as the other two nodded, "none of us will breath a word of this. Swear. I do have one question though. We have three more lockdowns to film for this season. Are you going to be ok to do them?"

Nick and Zak exchanged a glance. The topic of Zak continuing to work had caused more than one argument. "Well, Nick didn't want me to do any more until the baby comes, but my doctor said it was ok for me to work, so we compromised. I'm going to hang back more and film and let Nick take the lead for the next few investigations. After that, we're on hiatus for six months which will give me plenty of time to have the baby and recover before we start filming again."

"Sounds like you guys have really thought this out. Listen, you know that if you ever need anything, just call us up. We'll all be there for you."

"Thanks guys. That really means a lot." Further conversation was cut off by the arrival of their lunch, and the rest of the afternoon passed in companionable chatter.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: T

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: This is Mpreg. If that squicks you, run away now. I have never written mpreg or a multi-chapter story before, so this is kind of an experiment for me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Miracle – Ch.5

"Hey Zak, are you almost ready? The appointment's at 2:00 – we need to leave soon so we're not late." He walked into the bedroom where he found Zak pulling at his shirt and frowning at his reflection in the mirror.

"Look at this," he said, stretching the shirt over the bump that housed their child. "I'm fat. I'm fat and none of my clothes fit and everyone is going to be able to tell." He turned to Nick, fear building in his eyes. "I can't go out. People will be able to tell. What if someone snaps a picture with a cell or something and sells it to the tabloids? It could ruin everything. The show might get canceled, and then what would we..."

Nick put his hands on Zak's shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Breathe before you pass out." He turned him around to face the mirror. "You need to relax. First, you aren't fat. You're pregnant. This," he said, raising the shirt and laying his hands over warm flesh, "is just a sign that our baby is growing healthy and strong. Second, no one is going to think a thing because you're going to wear this over your shirt." He pulled an oversized hoodie out of the closet and tossed it at Zak. "And third, after the doctor, we're going shopping. You do need some new clothes."

Zak pulled the hoodie over his head and looked at himself. "I guess this looks ok. No one can tell. It's not that big of a deal anyway." He checked his hair and stuffed his wallet in his pocket. "Come on, let's go."

Nick grabbed his keys and followed him downstairs. After twenty weeks, he was well accustomed to Zak's mood swings, but he couldn't help thinking it was like walking through a minefield blindfolded. "_Only 20 more weeks. Halfway there_," he thought, locking the door behind him.

As he turned the car into the parking lot at the doctor's office, Nick glanced at Zak, noticing the way he repeatedly ran his hands over his stomach. "You ok?"

"Yeah, just trying to get the baby to stop punching me in the ribs."

Nick parked the car and reached over to rub Zak's side. "You need to cut him some slack kiddo. The more you kick, the crankier he gets. And that's just not pretty."

"Bite me. I'm not cranky. Besides," he said, moving Nick's hand under the hoodie and higher up on his side, "this is where I'm feeling it. I swear it feels like this kid is doing gymnastics off my rib cage."

Nick smiled and leaned over. "Listen up, little one. This is your daddy speaking, and you need to stop that right now." A tiny nudge against his palm made him freeze in place. His eyes got wider as he glanced from Zak's belly to his face and back. "Whoa. I think I felt it." He slid his hand under the shirt and pressed more firmly against the pale skin. "Hi, baby. Did you just kick my hand?" Another nudge, stronger this time, was his answer. "That's amazing. The books all said I wouldn't be able to feel it for a few more weeks. We've got an active little guy or girl in there."

"No shi – I mean, no kidding. If it's anything like you, this kid is going to be some sort of crazy Parkour rock-climber. Probably figures it should start practicing now." Zak's sarcastic comments were negated by his sparkling eyes and his hand covering Nick's.

Nick leaned in for a soft kiss. "I love you." He pressed another quick kiss to the belly under his hand. "And I love you."

"We love you, too. Now, let's cut out this mushy stuff in public before they send out the Hallmark police."

"Right. We need to get in there so we can find out if this kiddo is going to need pink or blue hiking boots."

Zak heaved himself out of the car. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed to stop riding in the sports car. The low slung seats didn't work well for someone with a shifting center of gravity. "No daughter of mine is wearing pink. Purple would be ok."

They walked into the office and went through the familiar process of checking in, getting Zak weighed, and settling in an exam room to wait for the doctor. They had been waiting for about ten minutes when the door opened, and the doctor walked in.

"Hi, guys," he said as he shook hands with them. He opened his chart and sat down. "Let's see. Things look pretty good – your blood pressure and pulse are good, no signs of retaining water, heart rate normal. Your weight is a little low – normally, by 20 weeks we like to see about a 15 pound weight gain, and you've only gained 9. You need to work on that, but overall, I'm happy." He set the chart aside and gestured to the exam table. "If you'll just hop up here, Zak, we'll fire up the baby finder and see what's going on inside."

Zak removed the hoodie and adjusted his clothes before laying down. Micheal squirted gel on his stomach and moved the wand around until he had a good view of the baby. "Everything's in here looks good. Plenty of amniotic fluid for baby to swim in, weight is 10.75 ounces, and height is 10 inches. Right on target. Heartbeat is 160 beats per minutes – again perfectly normal." He flipped a switch and a fast, rhythmic sound filled the air.

They had heard the heartbeat once at the 12 week visit, but were happy to hear it again. "It sounds like horses galloping," said Nick, rubbing his thumb across Zak's hand.

They listened for several more seconds before Micheal flipped the sound off. "Ok, are you two ready to find out if you made a boy or a girl?"

"Absolutely," said Zak and Nick in unison, their eyes glued to the screen.

He moved the wand a little more. "It looks like you're having...a girl. Congratulations," he said with a smile.

Nick and Zak looked at each other. Nick's eyes were watery and tears slid out of the corner of Zak's eyes.

"We're having a baby girl," whispered Zak, clinging to Nick's hand. "Are you happy?"

"I've never been happier," said Nick, cupping his lover's cheek and kissing him.

Michael handed Zak some tissues to clean himself. "I'll give you two a minute. I'm going to print out some pictures for you to take home and burn a DVD copy of the sonogram."

He turned off the machine and left the room. Zak wiped off the gel and fixed his clothes, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"We're having a girl, Nick. What are we going to do with a girl?"

"Same thing as we would do with a boy. Take care of her and love her. The rest will come to us."

"Yeah. I wonder what she's going to look like?"

"If we're lucky, she'll look like you. A little princess with long, dark hair and blue eyes."

"Dark hair maybe, but with chocolate brown eyes, just like yours."

"Either way, she'll be beautiful. We'll have to build a moat to keep the boys away."

"Oh my god – I never thought about boys. She's not dating until she's 25."

Nick laughed. "Why don't we concentrate on actually getting her here? Then we can worry about her dating life."

"Good point. Hey, now we can pick out stuff for the nursery and clothes since we know she's a girl."

Michael walked back in then and handed them the pictures and a DVD. "Here you go. I'll see you again in four weeks."

They thanked him and left the office, climbing in the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

"You feeling up to some clothes shopping, Zak?"

"Actually, can we just get some take-out for lunch and go home? I think I'd feel more comfortable buying clothes online."

"We can do that. We can look at stuff for the nursery, too."

"Sounds good." Zak yawned and leaned the seat back. "Wake me when we get home."

"Will do." Nick glanced over at Zak and smiled at the way he settled in to sleep, one hand protectively cradling their unborn daughter.

An hour later, Nick shook Zak awake. "We're home."

Zak stretched and hefted himself out of the car. "I think that's it for me riding in this car until the baby comes. I can barely get out of it anymore."

"We'll just keep it in the garage and use the SUV. We'll have to use it for the baby anyway because this car only seats two."

They walked in the house, and Nick set the food on the table. "Bring your laptop in here so we can eat while we look at stuff."

He unloaded the Chinese food while Zak booted up his computer. "What'd you get?"

"Cashew chicken, beef and broccoli, spring rolls, lo mein, and veggie fried rice."

"Load me up. Your daughter is starving and kicking me again."

Nick started making up a plate of food. "_My_ daughter, huh? So when she acts up she's just my daughter?"

"You got it. And she said she wants more lo mein than that." He got a bottle of water and sat down, shoving some fried rice in his mouth. "So the clothes situation shouldn't be too hard. It's getting cooler so I can get by with some bigger shirts and sweatshirts. I'll get a couple of larger jackets and a coat in case it gets really cold. For pants, I'll mostly stick to sweatpants, but I'll buy a few pairs of nicer slacks too. I can just have the legs hemmed to fit me if they're too long."

"Sounds good. If you need anything bigger later on, we'll go the same route." Nick took a bite of chicken and pulled the computer toward him. "Let me show you this nursery setup I came across the other day. I thought it would be good for a boy or girl." He clicked the mouse a few times and turned the screen toward Zak, moving his own chair so that they could both see. "What do you think?"

Zak studied the pictures for a minute, clicking here and there to enlarge parts of the screen. The walls were cream colored with a light gray ceiling. The crib and dresser were black, with black and white bedding and curtains. The changing table and glider were black with red pads. Various pictures in red and black frames were hung throughout the nursery, and black carpeting covered the floor. Nick leaned over and pointed at the screen. "See, I thought we could paint her name in red right here over the crib once we decide on one, and since our nursery has hardwood flooring, we can get a black throw rug to put by the crib."

Zak looked at Nick and smiled. "I like it. I think it's perfect for a baby of ours. We can put a mobile over the crib with pictures of EVP recorders and video cameras."

"The finishing touch. Let's finish eating and go watch some TV."


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: PG

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: This is Mpreg. If that squicks you, run away now. I have never written mpreg or a multi-chapter story before, so this is kind of an experiment for me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Miracle – Ch.6 

"What do you think about a vacation?"

Zak looked up from his laptop, where he was working on mixes for his new album. "What?"

"A vacation. You and me. What do you think?"

"When?"

"Soon. You're 28 weeks. Most airlines won't let you fly past 32 weeks." He walked over to Zak and ran his finger's along the older man's neck as he spoke. "We could take a week and just go somewhere, just us."

Zak let his head fall back as Nick began to massage his shoulders, kneading tight muscles. "I don't want to be around a lot of people right now. You know that."

"I know. That's why this place is perfect. It's a house in the Aruba with a private beach. We can Jet-Ski or go out in the speedboat, or you can just lay out in the sun while I swim if you want. The beach is completely private – you can lay on the beach naked if you want to, and no one will see. It also has a game room, an in-home theater, and a gym."

Zak mulled the idea. The thought of being able to lay out in the sun was very tempting. His pregnancy was advanced enough that he didn't feel comfortable being out of the house unless he was covered by a baggy sweatshirt or jacket. Being able to be out in only his swim trunks or even naked sounded like heaven.

"Well, we'd need to go soon. Like you said, I won't be able to fly much longer."

Nick smiled. "Is tomorrow soon enough?"

Zak spun around to face him. "What? Holy shit, Nick! I mean holy crap...I mean – nevermind. Geez, Nick, tomorrow? How the hell am I going to be able to get all my clothes and stuff ready in less than 24 hours?"

"We don't need to take much. Razors, toothbrushes, your hair stuff, things like that. Our swim trunks and some clothes. Your allergy meds and prenatal vitamins. There's a laundry room in the house if we run out of clothes. Besides," he added with a wink, "if I have my way, you'll be wearing as little as possible." He punctuated his statement by trailing kisses down Zak's neck.

Zak tilted his head, allowing Nick access to more skin. "Mmmmm. I like the sound of that."

Nick grinned at him. "So do I. Let's put a bookmark in this and go pack. We'll pick up where we left off once when get there."

"Fine. But you owe me one."

The next morning Zak was grumbling as he trailed Nick through the airport. "Tell me again why we're here at 5:30 AM?"

"Because, like I told you before, with the layover in Miami, the flight is almost 11 hours. With that and the time difference, we had to fly early to keep from arriving in the middle of the night. This way, we'll leave here at 7:00 AM and get there around 10:00 PM. Hopefully, we'll be able to get a decent amount of sleep and avoid jet lag that way. And anyway," he said, glancing at the luggage cart he was pushing, "I'm still wondering how you interpret 'pack light' as three suitcases and a duffel bag. I should have known your diva self would bring everything in the closet."

"Hey, you never know what you're going to need. We're going to be there a whole week."

Nick rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I love you."

They checked their bags, made their way through security, and headed to the gate. They still had about 45 minutes before the flight, so Zak fired up his iPod and pulled a thick book out of his backpack.

"What's that?"

Zak showed him the book. _60,001 Best Baby Names_. "Since we're going to be traveling for hours, I figure we can use the time to decide on a name."

"I guess we could work on it. Let me see that." Nick studied the book, losing track of time as he read endless lists of names.

They boarded the plane and took off, the ground quickly disappearing below them. Zak fidgeted in his seat, trying to get comfortable.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Just really tired," he said, leaning closer to Nick, "and it feels like she's doing backflips in there."

Nick flipped up the armrest between them and pulled Zak closer. "Recline your seat." He eased his head onto his shoulder and kissed the dark hair, smiling as he felt Zak sigh and relax against him. "You'll feel better after you rest. And you, little lady," he whispered, snaking a hand under the baggy jacket to touch his stomach, "settle down. Don't make me come in there."

Zak dozed for a few hours, waking when lunch was served. He dug into BBQ grilled chicken salad with a side of mixed fruit and cubes of angel food cake, then broke into their stash of snacks and polished off a sleeve of Saltines and two bottles of water before he was full. Nick smiled to himself while he ate his own lunch. Zak's appetite had picked up over the last month, and he always seemed to be hungry.

Zak burped softly and pushed his plate to the side of his tray table. "Excuse me. So, do you have any ideas for names?"

"Yeah. I made a list while you were sleeping."

"Cool. I've got a list of my own." He rooted around in his bag and came up with a slightly crumpled piece of paper. "How about this? We take turns reading names, and we only put names on the maybe list that we both agree on."

"Sounds good. Want to go first?"

"Ok. Anne?"

"Too plain. Amber?"

"Sounds too much like a stripper. Alexandra?"

"I like that. Put it on the maybe list. Khloe?"

"As in Kardashian? That would be a no. Tegan?"

"Sounds like something from a soap opera. Violet?"

"I don't want my kid named after a flower. Genevieve?"

"Geez, Zak. Just put a 'Kick Me' sign on the kid now. Charlotte?"

"Maybe list. Donna?"

"Sounds like an 80's sitcom housewife. Alexa?"

"Maybe list. Mary?"

"Too common. Bella?"

"No way I'm giving her a name from 'Twilight'. Sarah?"

"Maybe list. Clara?"

"She's not an 80 year old retiree, Nick. Emma?"

"Maybe list. Any more?"

"That's all I had. You?"

"No more. Ok, so we've got Sarah, Charlotte, Alexandra, Emma, and Alexa."

"I like Charlotte for a middle name."

"Yeah. That sounds good. But that puts Alexandra out for a first name. We need a shorter first name."

"How about Sarah?"

"Sarah Charlotte. I don't know. It still sounds a little plain. I mean, how many other Sarah's do you think she's going to be in school with?"

"Good point. That leaves Alexa and Emma."

"I like Alexa. Alexa Charlotte Bagans-Groff. What do you think?"

Zak thought about it for a moment and smiled at Nick. "I think we just named our daughter."


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: This is Mpreg. If that squicks you, run away now. I have never written mpreg or a multi-chapter story before, so this is kind of an experiment for me. Please review and let me know what you think.

Miracle – Ch.7

Zak lay in the hammock, basking in the feel of the sun beating down on his bare skin. He ran his hands over his stomach, feeling the baby tumble and kick as if she were enjoying the sun too. He stretched and debated between hauling himself up to grab a bottle of water from the cooler or taking a nap. The nap idea won out, and he rolled his head to the side, catching a glimpse of Nick swimming in the ocean.

His breath caught in his throat when what felt like half the blood in his body rushed south. All thoughts of napping were forgotten as his cock lay firm against his burgeoning belly. He groaned as he wrapped a hand around himself. The pregnancy hormones were going to kill him. He hadn't whacked off so much since high school, but in the past few weeks, his cock seemed to have a mind of its own.

Zak stroked himself firmly as he watched his lover slice through the water, the sun glinting off his lean body. Closing his eyes, he imagined that his hand was Nick's warm mouth. He tightened his grip as he pictured pink lips wrapped around his cock and felt pre-cum slide down the shaft and over his hand. His fingers ghosted over the head, rubbing the sensitive underside and drawing more fluid from the tip. He brought his knees up and gently rolled his balls before letting his hand creep down to his twitching hole. He petted the skin there and sped up his strokes, the hammock swaying with his movement.

"I see you started without me."

Zak's eyes flew open at the sound of Nick's voice. Caught up in his fantasy, he hadn't heard the other man walking toward him. Droplets of water rolled down his chest and abs, disappearing into the waistband of his trunks. He reached for the younger man, fingers itching to follow the drops, and whimpered when he moved away. Nick nudged his hand away from his ass and eased a wet finger inside, pumping it in and out. Zak's breath quickened and thighs tightened as his orgasm hit, ropes of silvery semen covering his belly and hand. His eyes drifted shut and he panted as his softening cock lay against his hip and the last few tremors rippled through him.

A smile flickered across his lips as he felt Nick lap the fluid from his stomach and kiss the sun warmed skin before lifting his cum covered hand and sucking the long fingers clean.

"You and your fucking cum fetish."

"Hey, it's full of protein and vitamins. Aren't you the one who's always telling me that I don't get enough protein?"

Zak snorted. "Whatever."

He opened his eyes as Nick tugged at his hand. His cock was tenting his swim trunks as his eyes pleaded with Zak. "Let's go inside."

"Why can't we just stay out here? We've never had sex in a hammock before."

"And we're not going to start. I have no desire to find myself flipped onto the sand in the middle of making love to you. Besides," he said, pinching Zak's nipple, "there's more room in our bed."

Zak's cock twitched with interest, and he let Nick pull him to his feet and lead him into the house. They walked upstairs and Zak flopped onto the bed, watching intently as Nick dried himself and shed his swim trunks. He climbed onto the bed and sat back on his heels, stroking himself as he gazed at his pregnant lover with predatory lust in his eyes.

Zak felt his cheeks flush under the heated stare, and he fought to keep from squirming. "The hell, Nick? What are you staring at?"

"God, Zak. You are so beautiful."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, real beautiful. I'm fat as hell, I have stretch marks on my hips, I'm starting to waddle instead of walk..."

Nick pinched the bottom of Zak's foot, drawing a yelp from the older man. "Stop. Just stop. I'm tired of you calling yourself fat and putting yourself down. You don't even know, Zak. You have no fucking idea what the sight of you like this does to me. I can barely keep my hands off you sometimes. If I could keep you pregnant all the time, I might be tempted to try, because seeing your belly swollen with our baby makes me crazy." He rested his hands on Zak's stomach, dropping kisses on the taut skin as the baby shifted. "Go to sleep, little one. Your papa and I are going to play."

He moved over Zak, one hand on either side of his head as he leaned down for a kiss. He licked the full lips until they opened and dipped his tongue inside, grazing along the roof of Zak's mouth before twining their tongues together. He pulled his tongue back as the dark haired man chased it back into his mouth. They kissed again and again until Nick pulled away to attack Zak's neck. He sucked the sensitive skin hard, drawing the blood to the surface as he moaned and arched his neck.

Nick licked and nipped his way down Zak's chest, stopping at the tight nipples. He licked the tight bud and blew cold air over it, smiling as the older man ground his hard cock against Nick's thigh. "Like that, baby?"

Zak growled in frustration as Nick slowly moved down, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses across his stomach and dipping his tongue into his navel. "Damn it, Nick. Suck me. Or at least touch my cock. I'm about to die from blue balls."

"So impatient." He licked a path across Zak's hips, stopping to kiss the tiny stretch marks. He spread the newly tanned thighs and nipped the sensitive skin before placing a kiss on the area just under his balls. The older man sucked in a breath and whimpered when he felt Nick spread his ass. He squeezed the firm cheeks and moved his index finger over the puckering hole, rubbing gently. Zak arched his back when Nick began to lick his asshole with long swipes of his tongue. His hard cock curved against his stomach, leaking a steady stream of pre-cum as his asshole was stimulated. He rubbed the head as Nick tongued him, pressing his fingers against the underside of the crown.

Nick pulled away and sat back, grabbing the lube off the bed. He lay on his back against the pillows and slicked up his cock as Zak straddled his hips. He guided himself into his ass and rested his hands on his legs, watching the older man's face go slack with pleasure as he sank down. He remained still, stroking his lover's thighs as he waited for him to adjust. A moment later, Zak anchored his hands against Nick's chest and began to raise and lower himself. Blue eyes met brown as he rode him, the thick shaft nudging his prostate. He moaned as a hand gasped his erection, practiced strokes bringing him closer to the edge.

"Ohhhh. Fuck yeah, Nick, just like that. Shit, shit, shit."

"Cum for me, Zak. I want to see you." He twisted his wrist and slid his hand over the head as Zak fell apart, covering his hand in warm fluid. The older man stilled as Nick milked his cock, hissing when the flesh got too sensitive to be touched. He watched with hooded eyes as his younger lover licked his hand clean, then urged Zak off of him.

"Get on your hands and knees."

Zak moved into position, resting his upper body against the mattress and shaking his ass.

"Well? Are you just going to look, or do you plan to fuck me anytime soon?"

Nick ignored him and grabbed his waist to steady himself, sliding home in a single thrust. The new position allowed deeper penetration, and both men moaned with pleasure. Nick pumped his hips as he felt himself approaching the edge, and Zak pushed back against him. He flexed his anal muscles around the thick cock, causing Nick to let out a strangled groan. His thrusts sped up and became erratic as his orgasm roared through him. He slammed into Zak and stilled, his fingers digging into soft flesh as he emptied into his lover.

Nick pulled his softening cock out and flopped onto his back, throwing one arm across his eyes as tremors ran through him. He was vaguely aware of Zak dropping onto the bed and rolling on his side. He considered dragging him into the shower so that he didn't leak cum onto the sheets, but the older man was already half asleep. He pulled the blankets over his shoulders and ran a hand through the dark hair before getting out of bed and heading into the shower by himself. He thought about the upcoming evening as he soaped his body and washed his hair. By the time he had dried off and trimmed his goatee, he had the night planned out.

Zak awoke a couple of hours later to the beeping of his cell phone signaling an incoming text message. He blinked as he sat up, grabbing his phone and opening the message.

_Hello, sleeping beauty -_

_Shower, shave, put on the clothes on the dresser and meet me on the beach at 6:00. I have a surprise for you._

_Love, Nick_

Zak was instantly curious. He thought about trying to find Nick and demand his surprise right then, but decided to follow instructions. He took a few moments to strip the bed and put on fresh sheets before he got into the shower. The warm water beating against his back and shoulders was relaxing, and as he cleaned himself, his mind drifted to what Nick could be planning. Alexa beat a steady tempo against his insides, as if she were urging him to hurry up and find out. Zak smiled and patted his stomach. "I hear you, baby girl. Let's go find out what your daddy is up to."

He climbed out of the shower and carefully dried himself before padding into the bedroom to get dressed. He pulled on a loose pair of black linen pants and cream colored button-down shirt. There were no particular shoes set out, so Zak decided to go barefoot. He raked his fingers through his hair, debating whether to spend time on it or not. Nick was always telling him that he liked his hair better in a natural state, so he shrugged and left it that way. A couple sprays of cologne finished his preparations, and he walked outside to find Nick. Written in the sand directly in front of the house were the words_ THIS WAY_ with an arrow pointing to the left. He went in the direction indicated, enjoying the feel of the sand beneath his bare feet. Although the sun was beginning to set, there was still plenty of light, and the soft breeze was warm and comfortable. He walked about ½ mile before he saw a table covered with flickering white candles. In the middle of the table set a small, gray velvet box. A note propped up next to it read _OPEN ME_.

Zak looked around, searching for his absent boyfriend. His hand shook slightly as he cracked open the box, revealing a stunning ring. The band was platinum with two sparkling diamonds flanking a pink diamond. The stones were set flat against the ring, and the inscription inside simply read _Love, Nick_.

"Like it?"

Zak jumped and whirled around in surprise as Nick walked out from behind an outcropping of rocks. He moved toward Zak, taking the box from his hands and removing the ring. He placed the box on the table and held the ring in one hand, the other reaching out to clasp Zak's. Brown eyes locked with blue as Nick began to speak.

"From the moment I saw you, I knew you would change my life. In ten short years, we've gone from friends to partners to lovers. You can drive me crazy and make me the happiest man in the world in the same breath, and I fall more in love with you every day. I can't picture my life without you. Will you marry me?"

Zak glanced from Nick to the ring and back again, unable to form words. After what felt like an eternity, his body finally responded to his brain screaming at him to do something and pulled Nick into a kiss. It was long, slow, and deep, and Nick responded eagerly. They broke apart, and Zak pulled back long enough to shove his left hand toward his boyfriend. Nick slid the ring onto his finger and smiled at him. "It looks perfect."

Zak ran a finger over his newest piece of jewelry. "How long have you been planning this?"

"A few months. It took some time to design the ring. I went back and forth on the band and type of stones and finally decided on this design. The two regular diamonds represent us, and the pink diamond is for Alexa." His face broke into a thousand watt smile. "It looks just as great on you as I thought it would."

Suddenly overcome with emotion, Zak placed a hand on the back of Nick's neck and tugged him forward until their foreheads were touching. His voice was thick with unshed tears when he spoke. "I love you, Nick, and I love our daughter. I can't wait to start our lives as parents. And just as soon as I lose this baby weight and don't look like I'm smuggling a watermelon under my shirt, we're going to get married because I can't imagine a single day without you."

The two men remained in each others arms, losing track of time as they exchanged soft kisses and the water gently lapped onto the shore.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Miracle

Pairing: Nick/Zak (Mpreg)

Rating: NC-17

Summary: Nick and Zak deal with the surprise of their lives.

Disclaimer: Don't own – please don't sue. Blah, blah, blah.

Author's notes: Well, this is it – the final chapter. I hope you've all enjoyed it :)

Miracle – Ch.8

Nick was making lunch for himself when the doorbell rang. He pulled a bag of chips out of the cabinet and called, "Come on in, Aaron! The door's open."

Aaron walked into the kitchen a moment later with an armful of painting supplies. "Hey bro, what's up?"

"Not too much. Just thought I'd have some lunch before we get to work on the nursery. Want a sandwich?"

"Sure. We've got about an hour to kill before Billy and Jay get here anyway."

"Cool. Ham or turkey?"

"Both. With mustard and cheese."

Nick made Aaron's sandwich and handed it to him with some salt and vinegar chips. He sat at the table across from him and bit into his own sandwich. Aaron swallowed a huge bite and crunched into a chip. "So, where's Zak?"

Nick frowned. "Resting in our room. He hasn't been feeling that great the past couple of days."

"What's wrong?"

"He's had a bad headache off and on and been a little nauseous. He wanted to help us paint but with his respiratory issues, I don't think he should."

"Yeah, you're probably right dude. Better safe than sorry." He took another bite and chewed. "So, he has about a month to go?"

"A little over five weeks."

"Wow. Not long now. Are you guys ready?"

Nick took a sip from his water bottle. "As ready as we can be. I know Zak is ready for the pregnancy to be over. He's really uncomfortable."

"Fuck, yeah, I'm uncomfortable. You would be too if you were the size of a small house. Hi, Aaron."

"Hey, Zak. Thought you were resting."

"I just came down to grab some water. Do we have any more Tylenol, Nick? My head is killing me."

Nick opened a new bottle and handed it to Zak who downed some pills with a drink of water. "Your head's bothering you again? I thought your headache went away."

"Well, it's back. I swear to God, Nick, once this baby pops out, I'm never letting you and super sperm near me again."

Nick rolled his eyes, having heard this particular threat more than once. He pulled Zak close and put his hands on his stomach, rubbing the taut flesh. "Why don't you go lay back down? Sleep might help your head feel better."

Zak nodded and sighed. "I think I'm going to take a warm shower first."

"Sounds like a good idea. Do you need me to do anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I love you, Nick."

"Love you more. Call me if you need anything else."

Zak headed upstairs as Nick cleaned the remains of lunch. "Do you want to watch TV until the guys get here, or do you want to go ahead and get started?"

"Let's just get started. Maybe we can get the base coat on the walls by the time Billy and Jay get here."

They walked upstairs and into the nursery. Nick had already covered the floor with plastic and put tape around the windows, so they cracked open the cans of cream colored paint and got to work on the walls. They had been working for about twenty minutes and were making a fair amount of progress when a loud thump from the master bedroom froze them. They looked at each other, and Nick ran to the room with Aaron hot on his heels.

They found Zak on his knees by the bed in a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, his hair damp from the shower. He was rubbing his forehead and looked dazed. Nick dropped to his knees beside him and took his hand, looking into his eyes. "Zak, what happened?"

"I'm not sure. I started feeling dizzy in the shower. I thought I was getting overheated so I got out and came in here. I got dressed and was about to get into bed when I got this sharp pain right under my ribcage and my vision sort of grayed out." Fear came into his eyes as he spoke. "Nick, it really hurts. I think something's wrong."

Nick fought to keep his voice steady and be calm. "Aaron's going to help you into bed while I call Micheal. Everything's going to be fine."

Zak nodded. "Ok. Ok."

Nick took his cell into the hallway and pulled the door shut. He dialed Micheal's number and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Dr. Starnes office."

"Hi, I need to speak to Dr. Starnes. Please tell him Nick Groff is calling, and it's an emergency."

"Certainly, Mr. Groff. Hold please."

Less than two minutes later, the doctor's voice came across the line. "Hey, Nick. What's up?"

"I'm not really sure." He gave Micheal a rundown of Zak's symptoms and described what had just happened. His hopes that the doctor would tell him things sounded normal evaporated quickly.

"I want you to get him to the hospital ASAP. I'll meet you there."

Icy fingers gripped Nick's heart. "What do you think is wrong?"

"I'm not sure, but I need to see him and do some tests. Just get him there as fast as you can, but try to keep him calm."

"I'll do my best. See you soon."

He took in a deep breath and let it out, pushing down the rising fear. He opened the bedroom door and walked inside. "Ok, Micheal wants us to meet him at the hospital so he can run some tests. Aaron, can you go get the car started while I help Zak get ready?"

"Sure, man. I'll pull it out of the garage and wait in the driveway."

"Thanks, bro. We'll be right down."

Aaron left and Nick hurried around the room, grabbing socks and shoes and a jacket for Zak.

"What's wrong, Nick? And don't tell me nothing. I know you."

Nick stopped what he was doing and crossed to the bed, sitting next to Zak. "Everything is going to turn out fine. Micheal just wants to do some tests to find out what's going on. I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you or our daughter. Now let's just get ready and go to the hospital, ok?"

"Ok. Yeah. Let's go."

They headed downstairs and climbed in the car, driving to the hospital in silence. Aaron let them out at the entrance and went to park the car while Nick went up to the information desk.

"Hi, we're supposed to meet Dr. Starnes here. Do you know where we can find him?"

The woman behind the desk checked her computer and made a quick call. "He's waiting for you. Just take the elevator up to the fourth floor and go to the first office on the right."

"Thank you." They followed the directions and walked into the office where Micheal was waiting.

"Hi, guys," he said, shaking hands with both of them. "So, Zak, I hear you're not feeling that great. Have you noticed a decrease in the baby's movements?"

"No, she's still kicking like a soccer player."

Micheal made some notes on his chart. "Ok, that's good. It doesn't sound like she's in distress. Come sit over here and let's get your vitals." He checked Zak's weight, blood pressure, and temperature, then handed him a plastic cup. "You know what to do with this."

Zak disappeared into the bathroom, and Nick pounced. "What is it? I saw your face when you checked his blood pressure."

"I have an idea of what's going on, but I need to run a test on his urine before I say anything."

Zak returned and handed the cup to Micheal. He took it and walked out, saying, "You guys sit tight. I'll be back in a couple minutes."

Zak sat and picked his nails while Nick paced the small office. Neither man spoke as they waited for the doctor to return. After about five minutes, Micheal came back into the room with a grave expression on his face.

"Well, the news isn't great. Zak has developed a condition called pre-eclampsia. It's basically high blood pressure caused by pregnancy. And I do mean high. Right now his BP is 180/110, and that's about as high as it can get without it being an emergency situation. He's also spilling protein into his urine."

Zak paled, pressing his hands protectively against his belly. Nick put his hand on the older man's thigh and asked, "So what can we do about it? How do we get it down?"

"The only cure for pre-eclampsia is delivering the baby. Once she's out, his blood pressure will come down to normal levels."

Zak spoke up. "Not happening. I still have five weeks to go. She's not ready to be born."

Nick squeezed Zak's leg to quiet him. "What are the risks to Zak if we let the pregnancy continue?"

"There's the risk of stroke, heart attack, seizures, coma, or even death."

"And what if we deliver the baby?"

"Any premature delivery has a certain amount of risk, but in this case, she would be safer outside than inside. She's nearly full term at this point and all of her major organs have formed. In my opinion, we need to get her out sooner rather than later."

"Can we talk about this alone for a minute?"

"Sure. No matter what, I'm going to admit Zak to the hospital, so I'll let you talk while I go make the arrangements." Micheal left and closed the door behind him, allowing the two men privacy to talk.

"There's nothing to talk about, Nick. I'm not going to put our daughter's life in danger by letting them take her early."

Nick cupped Zak's cheek and looked into his eyes. "I know you're scared. I am too. But you heard what Micheal said. She's in more danger now than she would be if she came early. Right now, she's completely dependent on you. If something happens to you, where does that leave her? I don't want to lose you both because of something that can be corrected by letting her be born."

A single tear trailed down Zak's cheek. "Why is this happening? I'm supposed to keep her safe, and I can't even do that. What kind of parent am I going to be if I can't even get her here safely?"

Nick used his thumb to wipe the lone tear away. "Stop, Zak. You've done an awesome job getting our baby here. This is just one of a zillion things that life is going to throw at us while we raise her. We just have to roll with it and deal with one thing at a time, ok?"

"Ok. You're right. I just hate feeling so out of control."

"I know you do. But we're going to get through this, and when we do, we'll have a beautiful baby girl to take home and love for the rest of our lives. Let's go find Micheal and tell him what we decided."

They found the doctor in the next room, making the arrangements to have Zak admitted to the hospital and told him what they had decided. The next hour was a whirlwind of activity. Zak had an IV and an epidural placed while Nick washed up and dressed in hospital surgical scrubs. He was taken into the surgical suite where Zak lay while his abdomen was prepped with an antiseptic wash. Nick sat on the stool by Zak's head and held his hand as the nurse confirmed that the epidural had taken effect. They raised a small drape just below his neck to block his view of his abdomen as Micheal came in.

"Ready to meet your baby, guys?"

Nick squeezed Zak's hand as they looked at each other and answered, "Ready as we'll ever be."

"Ok, let's get this show on the road. After I make the initial incision, I should be able to get the baby out in less than five minutes."

The following moments were quiet except for the medical terms that flew through the room as the team worked to extract the baby. Nick locked eyes with Zak and resisted the urge to peek over the drape as the operation progressed.

"A little more suction here...let's move that out of the way...good. Ok...I feel the head...just need to move her down a bit – and here she comes!"

A piercing cry filled the air as Alexa made her opinion of recent events known. Zak closed his eyes, overcome with relief at hearing their daughter cry. Nick felt tears slide down his cheeks as he documented the first moments of their little girl's life with his iPhone. They cleaned the baby and checked her weight and length. She was diapered and dressed in a white shirt and pink hat before being wrapped in a multicolored baby blanket and handed to Nick. He carried her over to Zak, who ran trembling fingers over her tiny cheeks.

"Hi, sweetie. I hope you're not always going to be so dramatic about things."

Nick laughed. "If she's anything like you, she will be."

A smiling nurse took her from Nick, who gave her up with a questioning look at Micheal. He hurried to explain, "She's just going to be taken to the nursery while Zak gets settled in his room."

Zak spoke up from his position on the table where two nurses were closing his incision. "She's ok, isn't she?"

"Don't worry, everything seems fine. Her breathing and reflexes are good, I don't foresee any problems there. She's a good size for a 35 weeker – 5 lbs 6 oz and 18 inches. You did everything right when you were carrying her, Zak, and that's going to help her now. We just want to get you set up and comfortable, and then they'll bring her to you."

Zak was wheeled to his room as Nick headed to the waiting room to update Aaron. When he got there, he was surprised to see not only Aaron, but also Billy and Jay.

Aaron jumped to his feet when he saw Nick. "So, is everything ok?"

"Everything is just fine." He pulled up a picture on his phone. "Alexa Charlotte Bagans-Groff, 5 lbs 6 oz and 18 inches. Brown hair, blue eyes, and absolutely beautiful."

Billy asked, "How's Zak?"

"Tired, but otherwise good. Very relieved that she's healthy. He's on his way to his room right now, but I wanted to ask you guys a favor before I join him."

Jay spoke up. "Name it, man. Anything."

"Well, Alexa coming early sort of threw a wrench into things, and there's a lot of stuff we don't have ready. I mean, all of the furniture is bought, but nothing is put together. The nursery isn't decorated, and all of the clothes need to be washed before she can wear them."

Aaron put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't even worry about it, bro. We got this. You just go take care of Zak and that beautiful little girl of yours."

Nick smiled. "Thanks guys. This really means a lot to me – to both of us. I'm going to head up to Zak's room, but you can call my cell if you have any questions."

He took the elevator up to his fiance's room as the other three left the hospital. He walked in and found Zak lying in bed resting. The dark haired man opened his eyes when he heard the door open and his face fell a bit when he saw Nick.

"Hey, don't look so disappointed," he said, crossing to the bed and kissing Zak.

"Sorry. I thought maybe they were bringing the baby in."

"She'll be here soon. How are you feeling?"

Zak motioned to the IV in his arm. "Right now I feel great. Morphine is a wonder drug. I'm just tired and anxious to see Alexa."

"Let me show you some pictures. I know you couldn't see much after the delivery."

They were scrolling through the pictures on Nick's phone when a light knock came at the door, followed by a nurse pushing a clear bassinet.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I've got a little lady here who insisted on seeing her parents." She lifted Alexa out of the bassinet. "Who wants to hold her first?"

The two men glanced at each other. "You take her, Zak. You haven't gotten to hold her yet." He raised the bed and helped Zak into a sitting position. When he was situated, the nurse deposited the tiny bundle into his waiting arms. "She'll probably be ready for her first feeding soon. There are ready-to-feed bottles in the bottom of the bassinet, just take the top off and screw on the nipple. If you need anything, press the call button – otherwise, I'll be back for her in an hour." She left and shut the door behind her, leaving the little family alone for the first time.

Zak pulled Alexa's blanket open, inspecting her tiny fingers and toes. She opened her eyes enough to see that they were the same blue/grey shade as Zak's.

"Look, Nick, she has my eyes."

"And she has my hair."

"She has your lips, too."

Just then Alexa screwed up her face and began to wail. Nick hurried to get a bottle ready for her and handed it to Zak. The baby's cries faded as she latched onto the nipple and ate hungrily.

Nick grinned at Zak. "She definitely has your appetite."

"Hey, she knows what she likes."

They grew quiet as the baby drank her fill, trying to absorb the huge changes in their lives over the past few hours.

"She's perfect, Nick. Absolutely perfect. I already love her so much I can't describe it."

"I know. It's hard to believe we made such a beautiful baby."

Zak looked from Alexa to Nick. "I love you, Nick."

"I love you, too. Thanks for making me a daddy."

Alexa drifted off to sleep in Zak's arms as the two men gazed at her in awe. Life would never be the same, and they couldn't wait to start the next stage.

THE END


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